FIGHTING FOR THE RAILWAYS IN MOLDAVIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16620, 17 August 1917, Page 5

FIGHTING FOR THE RAILWAYS IN MOLDAVIA.

ROUMANIANS SUCCESSFUL AT SEVERAL POINTS.

GERMANS CLAIM STORMING OF A BRIDGEHEAD. Australian and N.Z. LONDON. August i 5. at>. . LONDON. August 15. A Russian communique states: The Roumanian troops continued their counter-offensive and occupied the village of Slanic, in the Trotus Valley, three miles south-west of Okna, They also dislodged the enemy from heights south-west of Grogechti, in the same sector. The offensive is developing. The Russians and Roumanians repulsed attacks from the direction of Focshani, and also in the region of further to the north-west.

A later Russian communique states : The enemy occupied a height west of Okna, The Roumanians repulsed attacks in the Ca-sinu Valley. Our counter-attack drove out the enemy who penetrated our trenches near Kreocheni.

A German communique states : The enemy is beginning to yield in the mountain area of Roumania, between the Trotus, Putna, and Sereth valleys.

(Received 11.10 p.m.) LONDON. August 15. A later German communique states: Attacks south-east of Tarnopol and south of the Trotus Valley falied. We pushed beyond Soveja and are pursuing the retreating enemy on both sides of the Putna. We stormed the Baltaretu bridgehead, on the west bank oi the Sereth, capturing 3000 prisoners and several guns.

The principal action indicated in the cable is for the connecting link between the two lines of railway which servo the Roumanian front. The link runs from Marasesci, ten miles north of Focshani, to Tecuciu. The enemy haa already reached the more westerly of the two railways at Focshani. and is attacking th© connecting line. Th© Roumanians were compelled to fall back to Marasesci, but are apparently continuing their defence of th© loop lino and attempting to recapture Focshani.

Okna, where the Roumanians are attacking, lies west of the two railways, and the capture by the enemy of the connecting link would place the forces there in a somewhat precarious position.

Soreja is north west of Focshani, and was the scene of a successful Roumanian offensive a few weeks ago, the enemy being driven back several miles.